The Reborn Sidekick Rejected The Male Lead
Chapter 192 - 187: Mission

Chapter 192: Chapter 187: Mission

When Lu Jingqiu arrived at school this time, Luo Xinyue, with a blush on her face, told her she was getting married, "Jingqiu, you’re in your twenties now."

"Maybe around the 27th or 28th, why are you guys moving so fast all of a sudden?"

"It’s because I saw you’re getting married, and Xue Jianian got married, too. When I went home and mentioned it to my mom, she thought it made sense to get married while still in school. It’s easier to manage time as a student than when working, and even having a child in the next two years wouldn’t affect our studies. She suggested we settle this important life event now to avoid a rush later. We’re not in a hurry either, we’ll wait until after the New Year. I’ve asked Shang Ze to start working on the house, the one near yours. We plan to live there. I liked how your place was decorated, and plan to set up the kitchen just like yours."

"Aunt Wei makes a good point," Jingqiu agreed that having a child while still in school could work out well, as by graduation the child would be two or three years old, just the right age for kindergarten, without interfering with work.

However, these plans couldn’t just be followed on a whim, it’s already mid-November and school has entered the review phase.

On Thursday, He Tongzhang suddenly came to her school to find her, "Sister Xiao Qiu, I heard last time that you wanted to have Meowmeow undergo spaying surgery, give it to me please, our teacher has been teaching us this topic recently, it would be perfect."

"Meowmeow?"

"Oh, that’s the cat you gave me."

"You mean my Hua Hua, what are you doing, you’re not planning to practice on my cat, right?"

"No, no, the main surgeon will be our teacher, it’s just that... all the cats at school have been spayed already, and we’re looking for more cats. Don’t worry; our teacher will be the main surgeon while we observe. We don’t have the skills to do the surgery ourselves yet."

Jingqiu had been thinking of asking Lih Huakun to help spay Hua Hua, but Huakun seemed to be very busy lately, so she hasn’t gone, "Really, your teacher will be the main surgeon?"

"Really, I guarantee it, I’ll bring her back to you safe and sound."

After thinking a moment, Lu Jingqiu asked, "When do you need her?"

"Right now, our teacher will do the surgery tomorrow."

Lu Jingqiu glanced at the time, it was already past five, she hurried to the cafeteria to let Luo Xinyue know and then left the school with He Tongzhang.

He Tongzhang had come on a bicycle and took Lu Jingqiu directly to the compound.

"How are you going to take her away, my Hua Hua will certainly be scared of strangers."

"I’ve got a cloth bag."

"A cloth bag won’t work, Hua Hua escaped from one last time. You sit and wait for me," Jingqiu said as she went upstairs to get a bamboo basket with a small lid that needed to be secured, so she put Hua Hua inside, found a rope and tied the basket and lid together, "Just like this. She probably won’t eat tonight. Get her a litter box, and remember, you absolutely cannot lose her."

He Tongzhang, holding Hua Guoguo, said, "Sister Xiao Qiu, this cat is so pretty."

"Hmm, that’s the one I’m keeping for myself, not giving away."

"Psh, not fighting you for it, we have Meowmeow, that’s enough. Don’t worry, Sister Xiao Qiu, I’ll make sure to return Hua Hua to you unharmed."

"Tomorrow’s Friday, you can bring her straight to the school in the afternoon, that way you don’t have to travel so far."

"Okay, Sister Xiao Qiu, I’m off then," He Tongzhang set down Hua Guoguo, slung the bamboo basket on his back, and it fitted quite well.

Lu Jingqiu saw him off and didn’t plan to return to school but decided to leave early the next morning.

Back home, Lu Jingqiu boiled some water, took a bath, put on her pajamas, and was getting ready to get into her warm bed, since the weather had turned cold.

Suddenly there was noise in the house, Lu Jingqiu thought her dad had come back, and she hurried downstairs happily, only to find Jiang Nanzhou wearing a camouflage uniform and holding a set of her dad’s military uniform as soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Neither had expected anyone else to be home, Jiang Nanzhou was startled, so was Jingqiu.

"Nanzhou, what are you doing here?"

"I came to get Uncle Lu’s clothes. What are you doing back, when did you get here?"

"I came back after school. Aunt Wei’s son, the one studying veterinary medicine, I had him take Hua Hua to get spayed."

Jiang Nanzhou nodded, approached Lu Jingqiu, and with struggle and guilt in his eyes, took a while before he managed to say, "Jingqiu, I might..."

Lu Jingqiu looked at his expression and thought something had happened to Dad, her heart anxious, "What’s wrong with you? Has Dad had an accident?"

Jiang Nanzhou shook his head with a wry smile, "Jingqiu, our division unexpectedly received an urgent mission and we have to set out tonight. The return date is uncertain, and I might not make it back for the New Year."

Lu Jingqiu had sensed the tension recently and knew some major action was imminent. Her eyes immediately reddened, "Are you going to a very dangerous place? If I hadn’t come back today, would you have just left without saying goodbye?" As she spoke, tears uncontrollably started falling.

Jiang Nanzhou hurriedly raised his hand and gently wiped her tears away, "I left you a letter, but now that I’ve seen you, it’s not necessary. Jingqiu, I can’t tell you where we’re going, but I promise you, I will take care of Uncle Lu, and that kid Li Huakun will be going too."

"Not just my dad, all of you must come back safe and sound."

"Alright."

"I will wait for your return. If you can’t make it for the New Year, then whenever you come back, that’s when we’ll have our wedding."

At her words, Jiang Nanzhou’s eyes almost turned red. Looking into Lu Jingqiu’s eyes, all he could see was reluctance, but he was a soldier, with a mission waiting for him, "...I’m leaving now."

"Can I come to see you off?"

"You can’t." Jiang Nanzhou brushed her forehead hair aside, speaking with utmost tenderness, "Take care of yourself, eat well, and wait for our return."

He turned to leave with difficulty, only to take a couple of steps before Lu Jingqiu followed him. Suddenly, Jiang Nanzhou turned back and pulled her into his embrace. The unexpected hug made her clutch at his clothes, his light breathing audible above her head, his chest against her nose, Lu Jingqiu could smell his distinctive male scent, causing a stir within her like an electric shock, her heart fluttering like a little deer.

Jiang Nanzhou, as if afraid of scaring her, gently patted her back, speaking in a deep voice, "I’m leaving now." His voice, deep and rich, was filled with a masculine allure.

Lu Jingqiu blushed, looking up at him, she murmured an acknowledgment.

Her hair, still damp and disheveled, likely from a recent bath, skin glowing, eyes shining with tenderness, there was a unique beauty about her. This Jingqiu made Jiang Nanzhou’s heart skip a beat, unable to resist, he bent down and gave her a light kiss on the corner of her mouth. After triumphing, he quickly let her go, mechanically turned around, like a well-trained soldier, marched in step. He didn’t dare look back, fearing that a glance would make it impossible for him to leave.

He sprinted out of the yard, and Lu Jingqiu didn’t chase after him. Instead, she quickly went upstairs, ran to the balcony, and watched his figure disappear from her sight little by little.

She only heard from her aunt that in the previous life, around these two years, her father was seriously injured, not knowing exactly when. It seemed it might have been this time.

In her last life, she didn’t know of Jiang Nanzhou’s existence, could it be that this time after he left, he never returned?

The thought of this made Lu Jingqiu’s heart clog with anxiety. In this rebirth, if she couldn’t save her mother, nor help her father and Nanzhou, then what was the point of her rebirth?

Thinking of the deployment of an entire division, she knew it had to be a large-scale operation.

That night, Lu Jingqiu was helpless, panicked, scared, and worried.

Upon waking up in the morning, she rushed to the balcony, gazing in the direction of the training grounds, now markedly quieter.

That day in school, she couldn’t concentrate, and when Luo Xinyue asked her what was wrong, she merely said Jiang Nanzhou was on a mission.

Understanding the life of a soldier, Luo Xinyue joked with a smile, "Hasn’t he always gone on missions before? He will be back after a while. He’s just left, and you’re missing him already?"

Lu Jingqiu didn’t know how to explain to her, her mind buried in her thoughts, struggling to lift her spirits until the afternoon when He Tongzhang came to deliver Hua Hua to her.

Seeing Hua Hua looking weak and listless, just like she felt right now.

"Tongzhang, when will it be better?"

"It’ll be fine in two or three days. Just pay extra attention these next few days, don’t let it climb high or low."

"Okay, thanks, Tongzhang."

"You’re welcome, Sister Xiao Qiu. If you have any more poultry that needs medical attention, just come to me."

"Alright."

As Lu Jingqiu walked home with Hua Hua, she realized life had to go on. No matter how worried she was, it wouldn’t help.

The only thing she could do now was to take good care of herself so that whenever they needed her, she would be there.